KosherEye.com

Ruth explains the origin of this delicious cake. “I have a friend, Marga, who is a wonderful cook, especially when it comes to desserts. This is her recipe. She is a cousin of my late husband, Fred, and for many years we were neighbors in Washington Heights. . (While this recipe is from another cousin, Rose Westheimer, it’s the one Marga has always used and I love.) Since Marga never had children, my grandchildren became her adopted grandchildren. If you follow this recipe, I’m sure that you’re going to be rewarded with a lot of compliments from your friends and family.

Grease three 9–inch round cake pans, line them with parchment paper, grease the paper, and dust with potato starch. (Flour can be used for a non–Passover version.)

In a large bowl, beat the yolks on high speed with an electric mixer until thick. Add the sugar and lemon juice and continue beating until the mixture is a light yellow. Turn the beater off and stir in the nuts.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites, on high speed, until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites gently into yolk mixture.

Spoon a third of the batter into each prepared pan (using a measuring cup will help insure that you evenly distribute the batter). Bake at 325 degrees for about 45 to 60 minutes, until golden brown. A tester inserted in center will come out slightly wet, as the cake will retain a moist pudding texture. Loosen the edges with a knife immediately after removing the pans from oven. Cool completely. Remove from pans and peel off parchment.

While the cakes cool, prepare the two frostings in separate bowls. Combine all the ingredients for each frosting and whip each at high speed until stiff peaks form. When the cakes are completely cooled, assemble the cake, by placing the first cake layer on a plate. Top with a little less than half of Frosting # 1. Place the second layer on top and spread Frosting # 2.. Top with the third layer, and frost the top and sides with remaining Frosting # 1. Using a vegetable peeler, shave small chocolate curls from a block of milk or dark chocolate. Decorate the top of the cake with the curls. Chill before serving.